Red Dead Redemption

Undead Nightmare : Salvation

Chapter Four – Restoration

Escalera had been the source of the trouble as it housed the very chamber that belonged to the Aztec Mask. When he was alive, John Marston had taken on the challenge of returning it to it's rightful resting place, but had to plough through endless hordes to get there. He was successful, but could his fortune and good luck be passed onto Jack and The Stranger?

The whole nightmare had become worse as The Stranger kept the mask in his grasp. The two were now making one last ride to Escalera where they were about to take on the very task that had been achieved before. They were going to return the mask to it's rightful place. unknown to them both, Escalera had become a wreck where the army had failed to defend the town from the hordes. Their only way in was through the villa and that wasn't going to be easy in itself.

As they approached the hilly road, they could see the smouldering wreck of the villa. The Stranger took a gulp at the area. For first time ever, he was nervous. Jack decided to take the lead up the road and signalled The Stranger to follow him.

"Come on." He said. "It's time to repeat my father's mission and make him proud."

"T-then lead the way?" The Stranger muttered. "As soon as we put this mask back the better."

The Undead lingered in the courtyard as if they had become the villa's welcome party. The Stranger bit his tongue and drew his repeater rifle. He leaped off his horse and fired at the surrounding Undead, following Jack up the main staircase. As they entered the main entrance, they could both see that the path towards the bull fighting ring was clear. they made a run for it, legging it out onto the back porch where more Undead were waiting for them. Jack gave The Stranger cover as he fired at the chasing horde. As he sprinted across the landing, The Stranger spotted an odd structure in the wall. It was chamber and it had been boarded up to stop the Undead from escaping. To get in, he fired at the bolted wooden blocks and prized open the chamber entrance. He was then caught off guard when a small group of zombies leaped out at him forcing him to the floor. he used all of his strength to keep the decapitated corpses away from him. he was certain that he was going to die. Suddenly, the weight began to lift as a corpse exploded one at a time. He looked up to see Jack standing over him. helping him up to his feet, Jack led the way into the chamber.

There was no light inside and The Stranger had to light a torch just see where he was going. The air was thick, and the smell of flesh lingered. The corridor became wider as it broke off into a huge hall. There was a smaller lit chamber that sat at the opposite end of the hall. It was a shrine and it belonged to the mask. The Stranger crept towards chamber, keeping his guard up at a high level, but as he moved onwards, five crawlers emerged up from the ground. Jack opened fire at the speedy monsters at they crawled their way towards The Stranger. The Stranger picked up the pace and sprinted towards the chamber, gripping the Mask. He had to make it and only Jack could keep the crawlers away.

"Come here you bastards!" Jack growled as he fired rapid shots at the crawler's decapitated heads.

The last crawler grabbed The Stranger's leg, tripping him up in the process. He was now only inches away from the chamber. The mask flew out of his hand and engraved itself in the dirt. The crawler was too strong as it dragged The Stranger away from the mask.

"Jack!" he cried. "I could use a hand here!"

"I got him!" Jack replied, squeezing the trigger. "Place that mask so we can get the hell out of here and go home!"

Jack killed the crawler and The Stranger made a grab for the mask. Unwrapping, it, he placed the pulsating green object on the shrine and the two made a run for the exit. They finally made it outside, where they were faced with the remaining hordes of the Undead. It didn't take long for them to make it to their horses. They both knew that it was only a matter of time before everything would return back to normal. Without hesitation, they decided to ride back to MacFarlane's Ranch where Bonnie would be waiting for them.

"You did well, Jack." The Stranger said, as they took a nice paced ride towards the Rio Bravo. "Your father would be proud of you. no doubt Bonnie would be too."

"You mean we did it?" Jack replied smiling. "Look we've been through a lot together here and I still don't know who you are?"

"I told you, I'm the lords prayer. I was also the Brimstone champion." The Stranger replied. "Once things have returned to their natural state, my job here will be complete."

"I see." Jack said as he looked at the sun rise for the first time in years. "I think things are about to change right now?"

"That's my cue to go." The Stranger said as he picked up speed. "It was nice to meet you, Jack Marston."

"Who are you? what is your name?" Jack called out as The Stranger began to disappear into the morning sun.

"When you arrive home, travel to the library in Blackwater and look under the Brimstone championship gun challenge of 1884. chances are you know my name."

Then just like that, The Stranger vanished, leaving Jack alone in the desert. The young Marston couldn't believe his eyes and hoped that it was exhaustion that was deceiving him. after a few seconds, he realised that he had been working with a ghost. He was a sceptic to ghosts and poltergeists. Now he was a believer.

The lengthy, paced ride finally brought Jack to MacFarlane's ranch. his heart began to fill up with a comfortable warmth. He had returned home to the ranch that he adored and loved. There were no more zombies, no more cries and no more flames. Everything was back the way it should be. He approached the MacFarlane's house and was thrilled to see that it was no longer barricaded. Hitching his horse, he called out to Bonnie and hoped that she was inside.

"Miss MacFarlane!" he called out. "It's me! Jack!"

Bonnie stepped out of the house and her face lit up at Jack's presence. She ran out of the house and Jack held her in his arms. He missed her so much, but then, Bonnie picked up on something.

"Jack, oh Jack I'm so glad you're alive!" she replied. "Did The Stranger make it?"

"Well that's the strange part." Jack replied, as he took Bonnie by the hand. "Let's go in? I have a hell of a story to tell you?"

It had been a few months before everything was back up and running. One afternoon, after he had finished his chores, Jack took his horse and rode off towards the modern, seaside town of Blackwater. He hadn't been there in ages and this time, he was about to answer the most mysterious and puzzling question of all.

He sat down in the cool calmness of the library and pulled out a whole stack of history records. When he found the right year, he was astonished at what he had found on the fifteenth page. the captioned was entitled;

"Brimstone Champion gun down in desert gold rush riot!"

The picture underneath the caption was The Stranger. Jack read down the page until he had stumbled across the name. The Stranger's name was "Red Harlow" and he had been dead for Twenty Seven years. Jack couldn't believe what he was reading. He had indeed worked with a ghost. Red was a man of God and he had indeed saved the world.

As he left the library, Jack mounted his wagon and began to ride out of town, towards the Great Plains. He knew that from now on, he was a believer.

End